Bfi Wants Film Fans To 'Adopt' A Hitchcock

Officials at the British Film Institute (BFI) are urging fans to 'adopt' an Alfred Hitchcock movie as part of a scheme to raise money for the restoration of the legendary director's early pictures.The campaign aims to gather enough donations to allow movie experts to restore nine of Hitchcock's silent film reels from the 1920s, including Blackmail, The Ring and Easy Virtue, which have all been damaged over time and are in need of repair. Movie enthusiasts can hand over their cash through the BFI's website - a contribution of $7,500 (£5,000) earns the donor an onscreen credit, while $37.50 (£25) is enough to restore 50 centimetres (20 inches) of film. BFI bosses have also launched a hunt for 75 missing films, with Hitchcock's The Mountain Eagle topping the 'most wanted' list. The 1926 film is one of more than 50 Hitchcock-directed pictures which have been lost over the years. Also included in the top 10 is 1914's A Study In Scarlet, directed by George Pearson and believed to feature the first ever onscreen appearance of super sleuth Sherlock Holmes in a British movie.